Ephesians 3.10b-The Multifaceted Wisdom of God Was Made Known to Satan and His Kingdom Through the Church
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Saturday June 1, 2024
Ephesians Series: Ephesians 3:10b-The Multifaceted Wisdom of God Was Made Known to Satan and His Kingdom
Lesson # 160
Ephesians 3:10 Consequently, the multifaceted wisdom produced by the manifestation of will of God (the Father) was made known to the sovereign rulers and governmental authorities in the heavenlies through the members of the church. (Lecturer’s translation)
Ephesians 3:10 is composed of a hina (ἵνα) result clause, which presents the result of or the consequence of the Father giving Paul his ministry to proclaim to the Gentile Christian community His unfathomable wealth and specifically to enlighten them as to what constitutes this unique mystery dispensation.
Namely, this clause asserts that it resulted in the Father’s multifaceted wisdom being made known to Satan and the members of his kingdom through the members of the church who are composed of Jewish and Gentile church age believers.
Now, in Ephesians 3:10, the verb gnōrizō (γνωρίζω) speaks of the act of the Father revealing His wisdom and sovereign will, which are related to His plan to restore the human race as rulers of planet earth.
As was the case in Ephesians 1:21, the noun archē (ἀρχή) here in Ephesians 3:10, means “sovereign ruler” since it pertains to any human or angelic being besides God who act in a sovereign ruling or commanding capacity.
It refers to any human or angelic governmental rulers who possess sovereignty over nations in the human and angelic realms.
However, unlike Ephesians 1:21, the word here in Ephesians 3:10 is in the plural.
The articular construction of this word is generic which serves to distinguishes these sovereign governmental authorities in Satan’s kingdom from other evil spirits in his kingdom.
Also, as was the case in Ephesians 1:21, the noun exousia (ἐξουσία) here in Ephesians 3:10 means “governmental authority” since the word pertains to a person’s authority to rule.
However, unlike Ephesians 1:21, the word here in Ephesians 3:10 is also in the plural.
It is used in relation to the authority to rule of both human and angelic governmental rulers who are subordinate to the archē (ἀρχή), “sovereign rulers.”
The articular construction of this word is also generic which not only serves to distinguish these governmental authorities in Satan’s kingdom from those who are sovereign rulers in his kingdom but also to distinguish these governmental authorities in Satan’s kingdom from other evil spirits in his kingdom.
As was the case in Ephesians 1:3 and 20, the articular dative neuter plural form of the adjective epouranios (ἐπουράνιος) here in Ephesians 3:10 refers to the first, second and third heavens.
This word is the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which functions here as a marker of location, which means that the word’s object is marking the first, second and third heavens as the location in which these sovereign rulers and governmental authorities in Satan’s government reside or exercise authority.
The nouns archē (ἀρχή), “sovereign rulers” and exousia (ἐξουσία), “governmental authorities” are evil spirits who belong to Satan’s kingdom rather than elect angels of God.
This is indicated by the fact that in Ephesians 2:2, the apostle Paul employs these two words in order to describe Satan.
The noun archē (ἀρχή) describes him as the “the sovereign ruler” of the cosmic world system while the noun exousia (ἐξουσία) describes him as “the governmental ruler” of this cosmic world system.
The noun archōn (ἄρχων) expresses the idea that Satan possesses sovereign authority delegated to him by God over all of unregenerate humanity and the resources of planet earth as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve.
The noun exousia (ἐξουσία) is used in relation to Satan’s sovereign governmental authority over all of unregenerate humanity and the resources of planet earth.
Furthermore, this interpretation is also indicated by the fact that the Father makes known to them His multifaceted wisdom “indirectly” through the church rather than directly or in other words, direct communication with them.
This manifestation of His multifaceted wisdom through the church was a mystery and hidden from those living in previous dispensations including both elect and non-elect angels.
Why would God want to conceal from His own elect angels this mystery when they serve him by waging war against Satan and his fellow evil spirits (cf. Dan. 10; Rev. 12:7-9)?
He wouldn’t conceal from His angels.
However, it is common sense that He would conceal this information about His will for the church because His kingdom is waging war against Satan’s kingdom at the present time.
In fact, ever since the fall of Adam and Eve this war has been raging in the cosmos.
In Ephesians 6:10-19, Paul asserts that Satan’s kingdom wages war against the church.
In fact, as was the case in Ephesians 3:10, both the nouns archē (ἀρχή) and exousia (ἐξουσία) are used by the apostle in Ephesians 6:12 to describe those evil spirits in Satan’s military who possess authority delegated to them by Satan.
The words also appear in the same order as they do in Ephesians 3:10.
As is the case in Ephesians 3:10, the noun archōn (ἄρχων) in Ephesians 6:12 refers to the highest rank of angels in the Satanic order of battle and hold positions of authority (“thrones”) in the Satanic kingdom and are subordinate to only Satan himself.
As was the case in Ephesians 3:10, the noun exousia (ἐξουσία) in Ephesians 6:12 refers to the rank of fallen angels who have been given by Satan “dominions” and are subordinate only to the arche, “rulers” and Satan himself.
So therefore, for these two reasons, these “sovereign rulers” and “governmental authorities” in Ephesians 3:10 must belong to Satan’s kingdom rather than the elect angels of God.
Now, as was the case in Ephesians 1:22, the articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun ekklēsia (ἐκκλησία) here in Ephesians 3:10 means “the church” and refers to the totality of Christian congregations or Christian assemblies throughout the Roman Empire and in heaven when Paul wrote this epistle in the first century A.D.
In other words, the word refers to the totality of Christians who lived during the church age.
This word contains the figure of metonymy, which means that the church is put for the races which compose the church.
In other words, this figure indicates that the church is put for Jewish and Gentile believers, which compose the church and form the new humanity, which will dispossess Satan and the members of his kingdom at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.
This interpretation is indicated by the fact that the content of the mystery, which Paul proclaimed to the Gentile Christian community gave them enlightenment concerning this mystery.
The revelation of this mystery reveals that Satan and the sovereign rulers and governmental authorities under his authority will be dispossessed by the church, which is under the authority of Jesus Christ.
As we noted, the content of this mystery is that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs as well as fellow members of the body of Christ likewise fellow partakers of the Messianic promise because of justification by faith in and union and identification with Christ Jesus.
This word ekklēsia (ἐκκλησία) is the object of the preposition dia (διά), which functions as a marker of agency, which indicates the church is the agency the Father employs to communicate His multifaceted wisdom to Satan and the members of his kingdom.
Specifically, it indicates that Jewish and Gentile Christian communities, which compose the church, are the agency which the Father employs to make known His multifaceted wisdom produced by the manifestation of His will to the sovereign rulers and governmental authorities belonging to Satan’s government.
In Ephesians 3:10, the verb gnōrizō (γνωρίζω) is modified by the adverb of time nun (νῦν).
This indicates that the multifaceted wisdom produced by the manifestation of the Father’s will through the church being made known to the sovereign rulers and governmental authorities belonging to Satan’s kingdom takes place simultaneously with the dispensation of the church age.
It also stands in marked contrast with the prepositional phrase apo tōn aiōnōn (ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων), “from previous ages,” which appears in Ephesians 3:9.
The latter refers to the period of time beginning with the creation of the time, matter, space continuum and continuing throughout human history up to the church age.
Therefore, the prepositional phrase apo tōn aiōnōn (ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων), “from previous ages” and the adverb of time nun (νῦν), “now” present a contrast between the church age dispensation and the dispensations, which took place before it.